Archive for November, 2015

One of Paragona recent graduates shares with us her view on living and working to Sweden.

How has your life changed after moving to Sweden?

Doctor: In general the quality of my life as improved. I stopped doing an excessive number of extra-hours as I use to do in Portugal or working in three different places to improve my income. I have more time for myself and my hobbies.

How do you estimate the standard of living in your home country and in Sweden?

Doctor: My standard of living as improved in general although the cost of living in Sweden is much higher than in Portugal, the salary I earn here covers well the difference.

What was the most challenging for you after moving abroad?

Doctor: The most challenging is definitely the language. After ten months in Sweden I feel comfortable enough with the language at work but when it comes to social meetings with people sometimes talking fast and at the same time, I admit I miss the details regarding the matter they are talking about, but understand quiet well the main point of the conversation.

How do you cope with the foreign language in the new country?

Doctor: As I mentioned previously adapting to the language is the most difficult. I try to watch Swedish TV, read books in Swedish and socialize with the Swedish people to adapt myself to the language faster.

How has your family adapted to the life in Sweden?

Doctor: I moved to Sweden alone but I still keep in touch with the colleagues that I met in the Paragona course and my hobbies also helped me to create a small group of friends.

In October we met a group of doctors in Athens and Zagreb to present them our current job offers in Scandinavia and to introduce them to our language course. The doctors had an opportunity to talk with a representative of the Swedish employer and a doctor who had passed Paragona training in Poland and already works in Sweden.